waterman



No. 607,400. Patented luly I2, |898. L. E. WATERMAN.

FOUNTAIN P-EN.

l (Application led Sept. 22, 1897.)

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.,l

No. 607,400. Patenfed July I2, |898. L. E. WATERMAN.

FOUNTAIN- PEN.

(Application leckScpt. 22, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

g1/wanton muws.. wAsHlNuToN u c lliure LEWIS E. VATERMAN,

STATES b v OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of lLetters Patent N o. 607,400, dated July 12, 1898. Application filed September 22, 1897. Serial No. 652,554. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS E. WATERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, (Brooklym) county of Kings, and State of New York, have made'a new and useful Invention in Fountain-Pens', of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to improvements in fountain-pens or pens in which the ink iscarried in a reservoir and fed to the writing-pen automatically by or through its own use, and it more particularly relates to improvements in the devices and method of feeding ink by capillary action to the writingpen known as top feed. This top-feed system of feeding ink in fountain-pens-is a system in and by which the ink reaches the nibs by passing along the top of the writing-pen by or through capillary convection. Hereto'- fore top feed has not been as successful or perfect as a system of feed wherein the ink is conducted to the nibs under the writingpen by capillary fissures cooperating with an ink-duct or with an air-duct. The two main defects in top feed have been a tendency to gush or over ink-supply and at other times a tendency to ink-failure or under ink-supply, both often found in the same fountainpen. The objects of my improvements are to remedy these and other defects and to provide means for better regulating and controlling the flow of the ink by associating with the top-feed mechanisms and devices a chamber or cavity that has the characteristics of a sub or secondary ink-reservoir, of an inkvalve, and of an air-valve, with whichgl cornbine an annular or nearly annular capillary chamber or channel between the feed-bar and the nozzle at and near their inner ends made either by cutting away the former or the latter, as may be preferred. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of the nozzle and the writing-pen. Fig. 2 is a sectional view cut on the line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the writing-pen, nozzle, feedbar, and part of the reservoir or handle. Fig. 3 isa sectional View cut on the line 3n 3a, Fig. 3. Fig. 4 is a top View of the feed-bar. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of tlle feed-bar, cut on the line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a similar view cut on the line 6 6, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a top view of the feed-bar and a sectional view of the nozzle. Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing a variation in the form of the top" of the feed-bar. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional View ofthe nozzle, top feed-bar, writing-pen, main feed-bar, and part of the reservoir or handle. Fig. 10 is a sectional view cut on the line 10 10, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a top view of the top feed-bar. Fig. 12'is a sectional View of the same. Fig. 13 is a sectional View cut on the line 13 13, Fig. 9. Fig. 14 is a sectional view cut on the line 14 14, Fig. 9. Fig. 15 is a sectional View showing ak partial variation in the shape and relations of the top feed-bar. Fig. 16 is a sectional viewof the nozzle, writing-pen, and feed-bar and of the lower part of the reservoir. Fig. 17 is a sectional view on the line 17 17, Fig. 16. Fig. 1S is a sectional view on the line 18 18, Fig. 16. Fig. 19 is a sectional view on the line 19 19, Fig. 16. ing-pen, and Fig. 2l is a top view of the feedbar.

Similar letters relate to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, show the invention in a-form in which the adjacent part of the nozzle and of an extension thereof form the upper side of the two opposite capillary topfeed surfaces, and Figs. 9 to 15, inclusive, show the invention in the form in which the under side of an independent piece interposed between the main feed-bar and the nozzle, or, rather, between the nozzle, the Writing.

pen, and the main feed-bar, furnishes that upper side and surface.

Only the old screw ink-joint is shown; but the invention may be used with any other form of fountain-pen ink-joint or in a fountain-pen without any joint.

The system of ink feed referred to as top feed is a system in which the ink is fed to the nibs of the writing-pen along the top of the writing-pen and between that top and a surface whichwith that of the writingpen forms a capillary channel for the ink on its way from the reservoir to the paper. It is distinguished from the under-feed system in and by the fact that in the latter the ink traverses the under side of the writing-pen on its Way to the nibs, following a capillary Fig. 20is atop View of the writdiately begin the operation of transferring the ink tothe writing-pen point by capillary action first in and through the annular capillary chamber C, then by the capillary channel C', formed between the dat top surface of the feed-bar F and the adjacent nozzlesurface or the top-feed-bar surface, as the case may be, and when the ink has reached the rear end of the writing-pen it Will follow the capillary chamber C', formed by and between the top of the writing-pen and the adjacent nozzle or the top-feed-bar surfaces, until it nds access to the nibs through the split in the pen or through an opening in the pen adjacent to the split. During this operation of ink-transfer, or after the pen-point has been supplied with ink and the capillary spaces above it have been filled, the ink will gradually fill up the secondary-reservoir cavity R, and thereby check the furtherflow of ink in the capillary channels through lthe closure of the air-duct A' by the ink, which prevents further entrance of air and the further passage of ink fromthe reservoir R and toward the pen. The use of thewriting-pen in this way sets up the automatic action by or through which ink is transferred from the reservoir to the writing-pen as it is used and may be required. A necessary incident of the continuance of this transfer is the proper supply of air to the reservoir R, and, on theother hand, in order to prevent ink-gush and airsupply the air must not be admitted too freely, and in order to prevent a failure of ink in the writing-pen the air must be supplied with sufficient freedom to facilitate or permit the necessary transfer of ink. The route taken by the air in coperatin g with the ink-supplying f unction is from without through the air-ductA into the secondary reservoir, cavity, pocket, or valve R', thence through the air-duct Ainto the reservoir R; but before the air can passY through the secondary reservoir R/ when lled with ink the capillary surfaces in front of the secondary reservoir must draw upon the ink in the secondary reservoir sufciently in force and quantity to empty or partly empty it, and thereby permit the air to enter the secondary reservoir from without. As 4the use of the ink from the secondary reservoir increases and its supply of ink diminishes the amount of air in the secondary reservoir increases until the pressures become so readjusted and related that the air enters and traverses the air-duct A and finally enters the reservoir R in bubble form, as shown in Figs. 3 and 9. The capillary channel C being relieved from the strain of vacuum tension by the admission of air immediately increases ink transfer and supply to the cavity R',where it again acts as a check on too great air-supply. The subreservoir R and the air-ducts A and A must not be made too large, and the air traverses them in attenuated form and only enlarges into bubble form as the quantity of air admitted increases, as shown in those two figures. The size of the air-ducts in connection with the capillary feed and to a A certain extent under its control. As the capillary feeding-surfaces are freed and call for more ink air automatically supplies its place in the secondary reservoir in the first instance and finally in the main reservoir R in continuous succession until the ink in the main reservoir is exhausted.

The annular capillary chamber or channel C at the inner end of the nozzle and feed-bar byits complete exposure to the ink of the main reservoir R down to the last drop and its large capillary capacity effects the sufficient and complete and, it may be said,large supply of ink to the capillary surfaces .between it and the writing-pen with great rapidity, and the action of that chamber at and around the inner end of the air-duct A, or, rather, the ink constantly held therein by capillarity, not only facilitates the passage of the airvfroni the airductAinto the reservoir R-at times drawing the ink from the airduct A or assisting the air to push the ink out of that air-duct into the reservoir because of its intimate relation and proximity to that airductbut also prevents the movement of air toward the reservoir R through the capillary channel C'. The capillary channel C in front of the secondary reservoir R in much the same way facilitatesthe entrance of air from without into the secondary reservoir R', establishing a Siphon-like action, of which the air automatically takes advantage to' assist it to enter the secondary reservoir on its Way to the main reservoir. At one moment the ink checks the iiow of the air inward and at another moment the air checks the flow of Ithe ink outward, both of them in and through the secondary reservoir, andthe secondary reservoir thereby becomes a sort of automatic air and inl; valve for the writing-pen and the reservoir. It is this functioning of the secondary reservoir largely that enables me to remedy previous defects and to prevent eX- cessive ink-supply to the writing-pen and to secure an adequate ink-supply thereto for all necessary purposes when using the top-feed system of supplying ink from the reservoir to the writing-pen. Heretofore top-feed pens have not been successful or satisfactory in a complete sense because of these and other defects, which are remedied by the ink and air valve action in and through the secondary reservoir R cooperating with the associated parts, as shown and described.

A variation or modification of this inven- ICO IIO

tion is shown on Sheet 2, Figs. 1G to 21, inclusive, wherein the writing-pen has a rear end elongation P extending along the whole top of the feed-bar and to or into the main reservoir R. The writing-pen is not only extended, but the extension is a narrow elongation of the central part of the pen,which is cut out over the secondary reservoir R', as shown, in such a way as to facilitate the entrance of the ink into the secondary reservoir and its subsequent removal therefrom by capillary action on its way to the nibs of the pen in the manner previously described. In other respects the arrangement in this variety is preferably like that shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, wherein the top surface of the capillary channel is formed on or by the underside of the adjacent part of the nozzle and its extension over the nibs of the pen. It therefore has the advantage of furnishing a continuous capillary channel from the main reservoir to the nibs of the pen between the top of t-he pen and the nozzle, as well as capillary channels on the sides of the plug and extension part of the nozzle, without the use of a separate piece. The writing-pen is shown at on top; but it may be rounded in the usual form, sufficient space being left at the sides or anywhere on top of the pen for the capillary channels and their action. lVhere the narrowed extension of the writing pen commences in Fig. 20 are shown two shoulders on each side of the pen, which may strike against shoulders formed in or on the top of the feed-bar. They limit the inward movement of the writing-pen toward the reservoir when the feed-bar is placed in position. The subreservoir, (shown in Figs, 16 and 21 more particularly,) with its two openings, one an inlet and the other an outlet, for the passage of the air, operates in the same way in relation to all the parts, and particularly to the contents of the main reservoir, the capillary channels, and the writing-pen, as heretofore set forth in describing the two forms shown on Sheet 1 of the drawings, and also the method of operation is substantially the same. In all these combinations the length and size of the subreservior and the size of the ducts A and A may be modified so as to secure proper ink-dow and proper control, and the principle of my invention permits such modication.

I claim as my invention- 1. A fountain-pen, provided with a chamber or cavity having an air-inlet and an airoutlet and acting automatically as a secondary reservoir, as an air-valve and as an inkvalve, in combination with a suitable capillary channel, or channels, as required to take ink from the main reservoir and supply it to the writing-pen.

2. A feed-bar of a fountain-pen provided with a secondary reservoir having an air-inlet duct connecting it with outer air and also with an air-outlet duct connecting it with the main reservoir, for the purpose of conducting air to and through the secondary reservoir and thence into the main reservoir, in combination with a suitable capillary channel or channels connecting the main reservoir, the secondary reservoir and the writing-pen.

3. In combination with top capillary feed devices and channels, a secondary reservoir located between the main reservoir and the writing-pen provided with an air-inlet duct andan air-duct communicating with the main reservoir.

4. In a fountain-pen a chamber or cavity located within the nozzle, in or near the feedbar, and functionally related to top-feed devices, acting automatically as a secondary reservoir, an air-valve and an ink-valve as required to supply ink from the main reservoir to the writing-pen.

5. In a fountain-pen a chamber or cavity located within the nozzle, in or near the feedbar, and functionally related to top-feed devices, acting automatically as a secondary reservoir, an air-valve and an ink-valve as required to supply inl; from the main reservoir to the writing-pen, in combination with top capillary feed devices and a longitudinal capillary channel, and with an annular capillary channel connecting with such channel and located at and opposite the inner end of the feed-bar.

6. In a fountain-pen a chamber or cavity acting automatically as a secondary reservoir, an air-valve and an ink-valve as required to supply ink from'the main reservoir to the writing-pen, in combination with top capillary feed devices and with an annular capillary channel located at and opposite the inner end of the feed-bar.

7. In fountain-pens, an uppercapillaryfeedsurface extending from the main reservoir along the top of the feed-bar and of the writing-pen to the nibs, together with the under and opposite capillary surface,in combination with a cavity or chamber opening into the capillary conduit or space between the two surfaces and provided with an air-inlet thereto for air from without and with an air-outlet connected with the main reservoir.

8. In fountain-pens,an upper capillary feedsurface extending from the main reservoir along the top 0f the feed-bar and of the writing-pen to the nibs, together with the under and opposite capillary surfaee,in combination with a cavity or chamber opening, from below, into the capillary conduit or space between the two surfaces and provided with an air-inlet thereto for air from without and with an air-outlet connected with the main reservoir.

9. In fountain-pens,an upper capillary feedsurface extending from the main reservoir along the top of the feed-bar and of the writing-pen to the nibs, together with the under and opposite capillary surface,in combination with a cavity or chamber opening into the capillary conduit or space between the two surfaces and provided with an air-inlet there- IOO IOS

IIO

to for air from without and with an air-outlet connected with the main reservoir, and with an annular capillary channel around the feedbar at and near its inner end.

l0. In fountain -pens, an upper capillary feed-surface extending from the main reservoir along the top of the feed-bar and of the Writing-pen to the nibs, together with the under and opposite capillary surface, in combination with a cavityT or chamber opening, from below, into the capillary conduit or space between the two surfaces and provided with an air-inlet thereto for air from Without and with an air-outlet connected with the main reservoir, and with an annular capillar57 channel around the feed-bar at and near its inner end.

ll. As elements in a combination of devices for feeding ink from the reservoir to the writing-pen of` a fountain-pen, an annular capillary channel located at the inner end of the feed-bar, a connecting capillary channel on the upper side of the inner end of the feedbar connecting with a secondary reservoir located in the feed-bar, whichreservoir is provided with an air-inlet connecting with the outer air and an air-outlet connecting with the main reservoir, and a connectingover capillary channel and feeder located on the upper side of the feed-bar and of the writingpen between the secondary reservoir and the nibs of the writing-pen.

l2. As elements in a combination of devices for feeding ink from the reservoir to the Writing-pen of a fountain-pen, a capillary channel on the upper side of the inner end of the feedbar connecting with the secondary reservoir located in the feed-bar, which reservoir is provided With an air-inlet connecting with the outer air and an air-outlet connecting with the main reservoir, and a connecting-over capillary channel and feeder located on the upper side of the feed-bar and of the Writingpen between the secondary reservoir and the nibs of the Writing-pen.

LEWIS E. WATERMAN. Witnesses:

EDWARD S. BERRALL, JAMES A. SKILTON. 

